A new study reveals that the same capacity that makes young brains more adaptable can have a negative side. This brain plasticity, which allows greater flexibility and learning, can cause an injury to become a persistent pathological network in young brains.
The research demonstrates that the characteristic adaptability of the young brain can paradoxically contribute to the chronification of pathological conditions. When an injury occurs, the high neural plasticity can lead to the formation of dysfunctional connections that persist over time.
